Mary Ellen Posthauer
RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Mary Ellen Posthauer is a registered dietitian and a consultant for MEP Healthcare Dietary Services, Inc. She provides consultation to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospice accounts. She is the past president of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. Posthauer is on the editorial advisory board of Advances in Skin and Wound Care. She is the current co-chair of the NPUAP nutrition small group working on the 2014 guidelines update and the chair for the bariatrics small group developing guidelines. She is a graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
Posthauer has authored numerous articles and chapters on nutrition, including such published books as Nutritional Care for the Older Adult, published by American Dietetic Association; Wound Care, published by Aspen; and Wound Care Essentials; published by Lippencott. The 3rd editions of all three are currently in progress (the 3rd edition of Wound Care will be published by Lippencott).
She was chairman of the American Dietetic Association’s Unintentional Weight Loss (UWL) work group, which developed nutrition-related evidence-based guidelines for practice for the elderly. The guidelines were released in October 2009.
Posthauer received the American Dietetic Association’s Award of Excellence in Consultation and Private Practice and the Medallion Award, one of ADA’s highest honors. She was induced into the Hall of Fame, Department of Foods and Nutrition, at Purdue University in 2008.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The World Union Wound Healing Society (WUWHS) held their 2016 meeting in historic Florence, Italy in September. The initial meeting of the WUWHS was held in Australia in 2000 and is convened every four years. I have had the unique...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) has designated November 17, 2016 as World Wide Pressure Injury Prevention Day and is urging states to join the effort and raise awareness about the need to prevent pressure injuries. As...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) should be an integral part of your pressure Injury (ulcer) management plan. Malnutrition/undernutrition is a risk factor for pressure injury formation and prolongs the healing process. Since nutrition is...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Clinicians continue to question if oral or tube feedings formulated with arginine hasten wound healing time versus standard high calorie, high protein supplements. There is an increase in the number of studies that examine the role of...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The April National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) consensus conference resulted in a terminology change from pressure ulcer to pressure injury, and also validated new terminology which more accurately describes pressure injury in...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT) amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act by adding a new section –Standardized Post-Acute Care (PAC) Assessment Data for Quality, Payment, and Discharge...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Several nutrients, such as arginine, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C, play a key role in wound healing and preserving tissue viability. However, while current research doesn’t confirm consuming mega doses of any of these minerals...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Recently, I attended a webinar that focused on dietary protein and preserving lean muscle mass. There is a wealth of research on this topic, in particular, as it relates to older adults and protecting muscle health during inactivity. Dr....
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annually designates March as National Nutrition Month and the theme this...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
February is American Heart Month and Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world on the 14th. So what is the connection between protecting your heart, enjoying candy and flowers with those you love on Valentine’s Day, and wound care?...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Congratulations to Bruce Ruben, MD, for his #1 WoundSource blog for 2015; Wound Healing: Reasons Wounds Will Not Heal. I certainly concur with Dr. Ruben that inadequate nutrition is an often-overlooked reason for delayed wound healing....
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Last month I discussed the value of consuming a "balanced diet" versus taking mega doses of vitamins for wound healing. This month the focus is on minerals. Minerals are inorganic compounds that comprise 4% of body weight but are...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
As we appreciate the glorious fall foliage, the crisp sunny days and marvel at the vibrant chrysanthemums in rich jewel tones, we also enjoy hearty meals and soups that incorporate seasonal vegetables. Food is a common, universal topic...
by Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Despite all of the advances in risk assessment, prevention and treatment guidelines, support surfaces, nutritional products and vigorous educational efforts, pressure ulcers continue to be a major health care problem worldwide.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
"I know Susie Q has a stage IV pressure ulcer on her sacrum but she is obese so she certainly doesn't need any more calories." Clinicians and family members often articulate this statement about obese individuals. Another common...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The "dogs days of summer" with temperatures approaching 90 and above plus high humidity levels remind us of the importance of hydration. While you are focusing on quenching your thirst, don't forget about your wound care clients.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
While the focus of nutrition interventions for wound healing involve the amount of protein, calories and beverages provided and consumed, we tend to forget the importance of good oral hygiene.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
When I attend wound care conferences both nationally and internationally, I am frequently asked how I became interested in nutrition and wound care. In 1995, I was involved in a quality assurance project for the Academy of Nutrition and...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Recently there have been numerous articles and webinars focusing on the methods health care professional can employ to effectively communicate and engage in end of life conversations with patients receiving palliative and/or hospice care...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
As Lydia Meyers RN, MSN, CWCN emphasized in her recent blog 4 Common Bacteria that Cause Infections in Wound Management, assessing the patient for infection is key to controlling the spread of infections. What role does nutrition play in...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
As Dr. Aletha Tippett noted in her December blog, following wound documentation standards can help clinicians avoid legal issues. Pressure ulcer litigation often involves pressure ulcers and weight loss.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
I was fascinated by the incredible amount of money that was donated to various organizations on December 2nd – the day declared as a National Day of Giving. This movement started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Despite all of the advances in risk assessment strategies, support surfaces, and vigorous educational efforts, pressure ulcers continue to be a major health care problem worldwide.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
For the past two years I have been involved in the research and development of the second edition of the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline. Members of the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury...
B Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Last month, I discussed the results of the NPUAP's 2014 "Unavoidable Pressure Injury: State of the Science and Consensus Outcomes" conference and their goal to establish a pressure ulcer registry for clinicians.
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
In 2010, experts at a consensus conference convened by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP):
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
During the past year, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Steven Gale and a group of wound care specialists on the development of a standardized approach for treating chronic wounds, often considered the new global epidemic...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Today an increasing number of individuals follow a vegetarian diet either by personal choice or for religious or cultural beliefs. Some research indicates that those who follow a plant-based vegetarian diet (50% of all protein in the...
by Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Several years ago when my nutrition blog began, I discussed the issue of relying on laboratory values – in particular albumin, pre-albumin and...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Lindsay Andronaco's blog, "How Can Wound Care Nurses Provide Culturally Sensitive Care" prompted me to reflect on similar situations that I have encountered...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
As we watched the bright colored ball drop at midnight in Times Square and listened to John Lennon's classic song, "Imagine", we closed out the past year and now reflect on the future. What is your greater vision of how the world could...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Building on the evidence that I have reviewed in the past several blogs concerning diagnosing adult...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The past few months my blog has been devoted to illustrating the value of using an etiology-based approach to diagnosing adult...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
In September, the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, and the MEDSURG Nursing Journal simultaneously published the article "Critical role of nutrition...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
In last month's blog, I discussed recent research and publication of the consensus statement of the Academy of Nutrition and...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
We have all heard the terms Marasmus and Kwashiorkor used to classify malnutrition that stems from the classic 1974 The Skeleton in the Closet article. Current research on this topic led to the collaboration and 2012 publication of a...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Part 3 in a series discussing nutritional status and diabetic foot ulcer risk.
To read Part 1, Click Here
To read Part 2,...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Part 2 in a series discussing nutritional status and diabetic foot ulcer risk.
To read Part 1,Click Here
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
After reading Laurie Swezey's blog, "Diabetic Foot - Risk Factors and Prevention", I decided to weigh in on the issue of poor glycemic control. Teamwork is an essential...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
As the ethnic diversity in the United States continues to increase, clinicians should understand how food, culture and religious practices impact the nutrition interventions we recommend. According to the Census Bureau in 2010 Hispanics...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
In response to Dr. Michael Miller's February blog, I would like to educate readers on the role and responsibility of the registered dietitian (RD) on the wound...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The NPUAP/EPUAP Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guidelines published in 2009 have been widely circulated around the globe and translated into 17 languages. Successful implementation of any guideline requires a "buy-in" by all the...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Did you ever notice that 4 or 5 of the ten most popular New Year's resolutions involve food? We either want to eat more or less of certain foods, usually in an effort to lose weight or improve our appearance with exercise and diet. What...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Microbiota are living organisms that coat the lining of the stomach, small intestine and the colon, which has the highest concentration. They serve as the front line of defense by protecting against incoming microbes, modulating the...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Frequently I am asked to review medical records to determine if an individual’s pressure ulcers failed to heal because of inadequate or...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Since we are fast approaching the deadline for the national elections, I decided to join the fray and campaign for accurate completion of the...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
During the wound healing process, aggressive nutritional support can reverse the body's hypermetabolic state, which occurs when lean body mass is used for energy rather than tissue repair. When energy stores are rapidly depleted in a...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."
-Hippocrates
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
My first year in practice, I volunteered with the local dietetic association when they launched “Dial a Dietitian”. The goal of the program was to capture the attention of the community and encourage people to phone a dietitian and seek...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer, RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K dissolve in fat and are transported in the body attached to lipids and require pancreatic enzymes and bile for absorption. They are stored in the liver and fatty tissue, which is why an excess...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Food is a major part of our lives with strong emotional and symbolic implications that encompasses nurturing, cultural, religion, tradition and social values. Nutrition and hydration has an effective role in healing wounds, but cannot...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
One component of the nutritional assessment process in wound care is reviewing and evaluating biochemical data. In a...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Last month I discussed the importance of implementing a system for screening the nutritional status of individuals. When the screening tool triggers...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Since undernutrition is considered a reversible risk factor for pressure ulcer development, then early detection and...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
In addition to providing calories and protein to promote wound healing, fluid intake is equally important. Achieving hydration needs and preventing dehydration, a risk factor for pressure ulcer development due to its effect on blood...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Previously, I discussed the value of protein for wound healing. Protein is responsible for cell multiplication, repair, and synthesis of enzymes involved...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The protein in the food we eat supplies the body with the amino acids necessary to make its own protein. There are certain amino acids that the body cannot produce, and some that are unable to be made fast enough to meet the body’s needs...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
The role of protein in wound healing has been documented in many studies with the focus on offering high calorie, high protein supplements in addition to...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Function/Recommended Dietary Allowance:
Zinc is an essential trace mineral for DNA synthesis, cell division, collagen formation, protein synthesis,...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
Metabolic Roles of Vitamin C
The major function of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in wound healing is assisting in the formation...
By Mary Ellen Posthauer RDN, CD, LD, FAND
For many years clinicians have relied on serum proteins, such as albumin and pre-albumin, as...